Rising Vallenato Star Katiuska Mendoza Dies at 19

Lolita Acosta, a regular contributor to our Spanish language world music site, Músicas del Mundo, reported today the death of Katiuska Mendoza, a rising star in vallenato music. Katiuska Mendoza died of complications after nose plastic surgery. She was 19.

Katiuska was born January 20 of 1992 in Fonseca. She was the granddaughter of legendary Singer “Colacho” Mendoza. At 8 years old, her parents Nicolás “Nacho” Mendoza Torres and Luisa Cotes Acosta, enrolled in“Turco” Gil’s school. Four years later she was a full member of the renowned vallenato children’s ensemble known as Los Niños Vallenatos. With this vallenato group she performed throughout the world and was present at the inauguration of the Bill Clinton Library in Little Rock, Arkansas (EEUU) in 2004.

Katiuska was currently studying journalism and music in Bogotá, Colombia’s capital.

Her vocals appear on the two albums recorded by Los Niños Vallenatos del “Turco” Gil: Anhelo un futuro and Homenaje a Bill Clinton. She was working on a solo recording with producer Germán Espinosa.

Katiuska was the two time winner of the Concurso de Voces Femeninas of ExpoFestival in Valledupar.